Three Chumps Ahead: A masterclass in roommate sabotage

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school slapstick where people actually hit each other with things, you’ll probably dig Three Chumps Ahead. It’s not exactly high art, but it moves fast and doesn't overstay its welcome. If you hate characters who spend the whole runtime trying to ruin someone else's night, maybe skip this one.

There’s this moment early on where Thelma is just radiating pure, naive joy about her new guy, Archie. It’s almost painful because you know Patsy is going to wreck it within ten seconds. And she does. The way Patsy just inserts herself into the conversation—it’s like watching a kid with a magnifying glass over an anthill. 🐜

The Limburger cheese gag? Classic, if a little predictable. But seeing the look on the poor guy's face when he realizes he’s stuck with her... that’s the real comedy. It’s just nice to watch people being petty without any of the modern, over-explained drama.

The whole saloon sequence feels like a frantic race to see who can be the most annoying person in the room. Patsy ordering the entire menu is a power move I think we all secretly want to pull at least once. 🍔

It’s weirdly fun to compare this to something like Mickey's Pal Pluto, mostly because the energy is just as chaotic but way more human. There's less barking and more screaming, I guess.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Three Chumps Ahead (1934) through its definitive frames.

Also, does anyone actually like those yachts? Because Archie talks about them like they’re the only thing that matters. It’s a great touch, honestly. Just a guy trying to buy affection while the roommate makes sure he never gets a moment of peace.

The pacing is a bit all over the place. Sometimes it feels like they’re rushing to get to the next punchline before the audience forgets the last one. Does it matter? Not really. It’s just funny.

I found myself wondering if they actually ate that food in the saloon scene. Probably not. It looked like a lot of work for a gag that lasts about thirty seconds. Classic studio stuff.

It’s not as heavy or dramatic as The Price of Tyranny, and thank goodness for that. Sometimes you just want to watch three chumps get stuck with a bill they can't pay. It’s a simple pleasure.

• Patsy Kelly is a force of nature.
• The British accent on Archie is about as convincing as a cardboard cutout.
• That cheese sandwich looked absolutely lethal.